Bedtime Prayers (contd.)

In continuation of the Post: Prayers at Bedtime:

Srimad Bhagavatam relates the story of Gajendra Moksham where the mighty elephant Gajendra, caught in the vicious grip of the crocodile, surrendered to the Lord and cried out for his help. Vishnu rushed to its rescue, killed the crocodile and saved His devotee. In Sri Vaishnava philosophy, the story is recounted to illustrate the effectiveness of the princliple of surrender to God (sharanaagati).

Also in Sri Vishnu Sahasranamam: slokam 99 http://kirtimukha.com/chinnamma/sahasra/sloka99.htm

uttAraNo dushkRti-hA puNyo duH-svapna-nASanaH
vira-hA rakshaNaH santo jIvanaH paryavasthitaH

Nama 926: dus_svapna-nASanaH – “Remover of evil dreams”, is considered as referring to the Gajendra Moksham story and the need for a sharanaagati-attitude of the mind in us.

Hanuman is a great Rama-bhakta, ever-present wherever his Lord Rama's story is told and He is worshipped.

Garuda is in eternal service to Vishnu as His vahanam.

Bhima, the strong one, was a great warrior rendering eternal service to Lord Krishna in the cause of Dharma.

They are all great devotees of the Lord.

Remembering these great devotees of the Lord when we are awake during the day and when we are about to retire for sleep, will help us to develop a sharanagati attitude of mind towards the Lord and ride the rough waves in the samsara sagara - stormy ocean of life..

SrI ChinmayAnanda, in his commentary on Vishnu Sahasranamam, explains that the worst dream is that of being re-born. He notes that when one is ever centered in nArAyaNa-smaraNa, then one's sub-conscious mind is not loaded with half-digested thoughts and unexpressed intentions, repressed desires and suppressed motives, immoral passions and covetous inclinations, and he has no fearful dreams in his sleep. Over time one enters nArAyaNa-consciousness, and there is no room for bad dreams.

What better way to help us than remembering these great souls, great Bhaktas who ever in the service of the Lord.

OM namo Narayanaya
Sarvam Sri Krishnarpanamastu